1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf club head with a face insert having indicia thereon. More specifically, the present invention relates to a putter head with a polymer insert having indicia printed directly on the external surface of the insert.
2. Description of the Related Art
Throughout the history of golf, which dates back to as early as 1457, various techniques have been used to enhance the hitting characteristics of golf club heads. Golf club heads having inserts for the striking portion have been used at least as far back as 1880""s when leather face irons were manufactured in Scotland. Golfer""s in the 1890""s were able to purchase putters with faces composed of gutta percha. More recently, inserts composed of various materials and shapes have been put forth by the creative geniuses of the golf industry to provide golfers with better feel and control of the golf ball.
One example is an ODYSSEY(copyright) putter having a STRONOMIC(copyright) insert that is disclosed in Magerman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,472 for a Golf Putter Head Having Face Insert And Method Of Forming The Same. The Magerman et al. Patent discloses a putter head with a recess into which is poured or inserted a resinous material which cures and is subsequently milled to produce the putter.
Another example is Pond, U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,331 for a Method For Manufacturing Golf Club Head With Integral Inserts that discloses a method for casting a graphite-epoxy composite insert within a recess of a face of a metal club head. The golf club head of the Pond Patent is directed at displacing the weight away from the center and increasing the moment of inertia.
Another example is Schmidt et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,997, for a Golf Putter Head With Face Plate Insert Having Heightened Medial Portion, that discloses a putter head with a face plate composed of a non-metallic material such as an elastomer. The overall construction of the putter head of the Schmidt et al. Patent is directed at enlarging the sweet spot and improving the peripheral weighting.
Yet another example is found in Baker et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,743 for a Putter Having Club Head With A Golf-Ball Engagement Insert And A Shaft Rearwardly Of The Insert which discloses a putter with a center shaft and an insert composed of a thermoplastic polyurethane. Another example is Jepson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,474 for a Golf Club With Polyurethane Insert, which discloses a wood having an insert on its striking face that is composed of a polyurethane formed from a tolylene diisocyanate polyether terminated prepolymer and a curing agent. The hardness of this insert varies from 40 to 75 shore D, and a Bashore Resiliometer of 17 or above. The polyurethane insert is claimed to impart additional energy to the golf ball during a golf hit.
Chen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,813 for a Golf Club Head discloses a wood composed of stainless steel with a three layer face having a first stainless steel layer, an elastic layer and a second stainless steel layer. The three-layer face does not absorb the hitting force when a golf ball is hit.
Fisher, U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,332, for a Golf Putter Head With A Cushioning Face, discloses a set of golf putters, each having an insert composed of polyurethane with a hardness in the range of 70 Shore A to about 80 Shore D. The rebound factor of each of the inserts is in the range of 12.5% to 50%, and the inserts are formulated to effect a reproducible direct linear relationship between the rebound factor and the distance of the putt.
Yet another example is McGeeney et al, European Patent Application Number 0891790 for a Multiple Density Golf Club Head And Method Of Manufacturing which discloses a putter with a central segment composed of a thermoplastic elastomer or a thermoset polymer. Possible thermoplastic elastomers include styrene co-polymers, co-polyesters, polyurethanes, polyamides, olefins and vulcanates. Possible thermoset polymers include epoxides, polyimides and polyester resins. The central segment has a minimum durometer hardness of Shore D 50. The central segment is bounded by metallic heel and to portions. However, the use of inserts is restrained in order to maintain the integrity of the game of golf.
Due to the lack of scorelines, insert face putters provide an advertising canvas that has yet to be exploited. One example is U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,939, to Grace et al. The Grace patent discloses a putter with a recess having a first insert with projections in the form of a word with a second insert over the first insert. Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,650 to Reeves for an Imprintable Golf Club Head which has a second on the rear of the club for printing purposes. Yet another example is U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,111 wherein a logo is attached to a rear cavity of the putter. Further examples include U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,457 wherein a circular emblem is placed within an aperture in the face. However, the prior art is absent a golf club head that has an insert with indicia printed directly on the external surface of the insert.
The present invention provides a golf club head with an insert that has indicia printed directly on the external surface of the insert. The present invention is able to accomplish this by using an insert material that is favorable to direct printing, and ink that can withstand playing conditions.
One aspect of the present invention is a putter with an insert face that rests within a recess of the club head. The insert is composed of a polymer material and has a first indicia and a second indicia printed on each end of the insert. One indicia is a multiple color logo design while the other is a trademark of the particular club head. The ink is preferably a ultraviolet curable ink for greater abrasion resistance and greater durability.
Having briefly described the present invention, the above and further objects, features and advantages thereof will be recognized by those skilled in the pertinent art from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.